The Hanover Theatre in downtown Worcester was completed in 2008 and utilized state historic tax credits.

Hanover honors theatre chain

By Richard Duckett| Worcester Telegram & Gazette| May 19, 2011

Worcester — In 2002, National Amusements Inc. put The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in the picture of possibility.

“You gave us a building, but you also gave us the gift of opportunity,” James D. O’Brien Jr., chairman of the theater’s board of directors told Shari E. Redstone, president of National Amusements, during a reception and program at the theater yesterday.

The Dedham-based international movie theater chain donated the former downtown Showcase Cinemas building to the Worcester Center for Performing Arts Inc. in 2002 for a nominal fee. The nonprofit group began the renovations and work…

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A recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Virginia threatens to decrease the value of state historic tax credits, and undermines the financing of landmark historic preservation projects nationwide. Now, with the future of state historic tax credits—in Virginia and elsewhere—at stake, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is joining its preservation partners in the Fourth Circuit and nationwide in calling for the Court of Appeals to reconsider this ruling.

Learn more about the Virginia ruling on Preservation Nation and read the National Trust’s response.

The Fairbanks Family in America, Inc. is seeking a full-time Curator to manage the Fairbanks House in Dedham, MA. Built c1637-1641, it is the oldest timber frame house in North America and is a National Historic Landmark. The Curator is responsible to the Board of Directors. Experience with historic preservation, non-profit administration, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and training is preferred. There is an on-going need to increase the endowment of the family corporation. A Master’s Degree in historic preservation or museum studies, along with a minimum of three years experience in historic preservation is also preferred. Housing and utilities are provided in a Sears Bungalow (c1912) on the property. This is a year-round position, with the Historic House open to the public May 1-October 31. Start date is immediate.

Send resumes to lafairbank3@aol.com.
Visit the Fairbanks House website at for more information.

by Michele P. Barker, Circuit Rider

For nearly 40 years, the Springfield Preservation Trust has been a strong voice for historic preservation in Springfield. This non-profit has backed the creation of historic districts, fought the demolition of historic buildings, and provided educational publications, tours, and lectures for owners and admirers of historic sites in the city. During its early history, the Trust purchased key properties to preserve, setting a positive example for owners of historic buildings in challenged neighborhoods.

The Trust’s most recent—and perhaps its most ambitious–challenge is to preserve one of the few survivors from Springfield’s first two hundred years: the historic Female Seminary building at 77 Maple Street. Although Springfield was settled in 1636, the city’s rapid development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries resulted in the destruction of most of its early architecture. One Georgian house that was moved to Historic Deerfield is the only known remnant of 18th-century Springfield, and fewer than 25 buildings dating from 1800-1835 have been identified.

Constructed in 1832, the Greek Revival Female Seminary is not only one of Springfield’s oldest buildings, but it is also the city’s oldest extant school building. The Seminary was designed by Springfield master builder Simon Sanborn. An associate of Asher Benjamin, Sanborn designed Springfield’s town hall, county jail, and many of its early churches, mills, and commercial buildings. Although originally a girls’ school, the Seminary quickly became a co-educational institution. In 1843, the school closed, and the Seminary became a private residence. Its original third story was removed, and it was remodeled in the Greek revival style. In the 20th century, the building was converted into medical offices.

Since 2002, the building stood vacant. Until the Trust stepped in, the Seminary seemed likely to become another victim of the demolition by neglect that has destroyed many historic buildings. The property’s location in the Lower Maple Hill Historic District prevented it from being razed, and in December 2008, the Trust negotiated a sale with the owner, closing on the property the following January.

Since then, the Trust has been securing and stabilizing the building and seeking the necessary funding to complete the rehabilitation project. The Trust plans to convert the building into three or four residential condominium units. The Trust has received Community Development Block Grant funds and this year was awarded a Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. However, the Trust still has a long way to go to raise the $500,000 needed to complete the project.

If you’re interested in helping out, or want to learn more about what the Springfield Preservation Trust calls its “nerviest” rehab project, go to:
Springfield Preservation Trust’s website
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by Michele P. Barker, Circuit Rider

The last surviving vaudeville theater in Holyoke, the Victory was built in 1919, its name commemorating the end of World War I. Although the Victory’s exterior is modestly Classical Revival in detail, its interior boasts Vermont marble columns, Brazilian mahogany, floral plaster details, brocaded wall fabrics, and Art Deco murals. For the past thirty years, the theater had been slowly decaying under the onslaught of infiltrating water. Since its closing in 1979, numerous attempts to raise the funds to restore the theater have started and faltered. In 1999, after twenty years of neglect, the theater was named to Preservation Massachusetts’ Most Endangered list.

A dedicated group of supporters kept the faith, however. Historical Commissioner Olivia Mausel and Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts Executive Director Donald Saunders envisioned the theatre as the home for the festival and the cornerstone of a downtown revival. Since 1993, the festival has brought world-class theatrical, musical, and artistic events to the Pioneer Valley, with performers from artists like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Vanessa Redgrave.

Last year, Save the Victory efforts began to pay off. MIFA teamed up with Nessen Associates and the Architectural Heritage Foundation to convince the city of Holyoke to sell the Victory to MIFA. The project has already garnered $1.2 million in state historic preservation tax credits. In addition, the Greater Holyoke Foundation recently released $240,000 in funds that had been raised to renovate the Victory Theatre through a 1987 exhibition here of paintings (Rembrandt, Van Gogh) owned by billionaire Armand Hammer. Debris is now being cleared from the interior, water has been pumped out of the basement, and historic murals have been removed for restoration. The expected completion date for the project is December 2012; Preservation Massachusetts can hardly wait for the Victory celebration when the curtain rises once more.

But the project has only begun. The entire renovation is expected to cost $27 million, of which $19 million has been raised so far. That leaves an $8 million dollar gap to be filled. We encourage our readers to support this project.

To find out more about the Victory Theatre, click here
To make a donation to the Victory click here